Shaede Assassin series
Shaede Assassin series by Amanda Bonilla. Genres and Sub-Genres Urban Fantasy / Noir UF / Urban Fantasy Romance * noir and Machiavellian Urban Fantasy Series Description or Overview Darian is a Shaede made by another—a past lover, in fact, one that abandoned her almost a century ago. She's the last of her kind, or so she was led to believe, and with only stealth in her arsenal, she trains herself to be one of the best assassins in the field. She can become incorporeal after twilight, and move in the shadows as nothing more than a ghost. Tyler has been a long-standing friend (a friend who makes her body feel all warm and flushed) and agent who informs her of her new targets/marks. And this time, her mark happens to be a man named Xander Peck. Nothing special, just a name that isn't commonly heard of. Just another man that has pissed off someone with the goods to hire her services. But when she was about to deliver the killing stroke, Xander slips into the shadows. That's when her world tilts around and she finds out she's no longer the last of her kind. Xander turns out to be the King of the Shaedes, and her assignment was actually a test. Now, Xander—or should I say, High King Alexander—is training her up for his real task, for her next target may just be one of the most powerful Shaedes alive. That, and someone whom she may have known quite intimately in the past… ~ A Book-a-licious Story: Review: Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla Lead's Species * Shaede, assassin Primary Supe * Shaedes What Sets it Apart *Shaedes in the leading roles. Narrative Type and Narrators * First person narrative told by Darian, protagonist. Books in Series Shaede Assassin series: # Shaedes of Gray (2011) # Blood Before Sunrise (2012) # Crave the Darkness (2013) # Against the Dawn (May 20, 2014) # Shadows at Midnight (2015) Shorts, Novellas, Anthologies and Guides * 0.5. When Shadows Call (2012) ~ eShort, 90 pages — Excerpt (Azriel & Darian backstory) * 2.5. Lost to the Gray (2013) ~ eShort, 92 pages — Excerpt World Building Setting * Seattle — primary setting * Faerie Realm — alternate setting Places: * Faerie Realm: land of the fae * Koth A'ma; fount from which time sprang, in Faerie Realm Supernatural Elements ✥ Shaedes, Jinn, Lyhtans, seers, faeries, Sidhe, angels (bk-4), Shape shifters, witches, oracles, gargoyles, blood magic, falcon, insect creatures, magical emerald necklace, magic weapon, , Glossary: *'Shaedes': beings that take human form during the day and can fade invisibly into the nighttime shadows. *'Jinn' (aka genie): ancient beings who protect and grant the wishes of the persons to whom they are bound. (sometimes spelled 'djinn' elsewhere) *'Lyhtans': beings that take insect form (think praying mantis) and can fade into the light during the day; can be killed at twilight and early dawn. Lyhtan are vicious, ugly, vengeful “creatures of the light” able to move unseen by day; their venom is deadly to the Shaede, their very opposite. * Guardian: 'Groups & Organizations': * Enphigmalé: mixed organization that polices the supernatural. * Shaede Nation: World In this world, the supernatural community includes a number of nontraditional creatures, with two particular types being the main characters in the series: Shaedes are beings that take human form during the day and can fade invisibly into the nighttime shadows. Jinn (aka genie) are ancient beings who protect and grant the wishes of the persons to whom they are bound. Lyhtans are beings that take insect form (think praying mantis) and can fade into the light during the day; can be killed at twilight and early dawn. A few other supernaturals also appear (e.g., seers, fae, gargoyles). In this world, the supernaturals live among the humans, but most humans aren't aware of their existence. The world-building here isn't very complex—at least at first—and it is parceled out as the story moves along, with bits and pieces here and there, all the way up to the end. :Being a Shaede: “You…are…nothing,” he said. “A creature that lives between the realms. You are made of twilight and shadow and move as the wind through the trees. You are Shaede….You won’t wither and die the way humans do…and even if your physical form is damaged beyond repair, you will only fade into shadow for eternity.” (p. 57) Protagonist ✥ Darian spent the first half of her life as an abused wife. When a friend of her husband’s appears on the scene, he frees her from her life of pain and transforms her into a Shaede—a creature able to transform from solid to shadow. She spends her time with her inhuman lover only to have him abandon her; leaving her alone and in the dark about who and what she is now. Now, centuries later, she works as an assassin for hire. Her moral compass, though slightly skewed, has her killing only those whose actions cause others pain in the world. She lives with the impression she is the only Shaede in existence but when she is hired out for a kill, she finds out that not only is she not alone, but she just tried to kill the King of her kind, Alexander (Xander) Peck. Darian is Smart, sassy, and strong with deeply buried vulnerability. Her emotions and reactions to situations and people are realistic as she learns of the lies and betrayals that she has been subjected to her whole life. She doesn’t accept the adage, “It was for your own good,” from anyone. She is fighting mad and is allowed to express that here. She is a warrior who bows to no one and those who seek to subjugate her will feel her wraith. ✥ Azriel: Rescued from the verge of death by Azriel. Living and loving together for twenty years. And then he left. ✥ Love Interests: * Tyler, her boss of 5 years, have acknowledged the attraction between them but she has always refused to act on it. She doesn’t see her life receptive to a relationship. Plus, he’s human, or so she thinks. * Xander: king of the Shaede nation is a pain in Darian’s arse and she doesn’t hesitate to let him know that repeatedly. He lies, omits, and doles out information grudgingly. He really cannot understand why she is so stubborn and won’t accept his sovereign over her. He is hilarious with his self entitlement issues. Author Amanda Bonilla * Website: Amanda Bonilla – Urban Fantasy Author *(5) Amanda Bonilla * Genres: Urban Fantasy Bio: Amanda Bonilla lives in rural Idaho with her husband and two kids. She’s a part-time pet wrangler, a full-time sun worshipper, and only goes out into the cold when coerced. She loves the outdoors, black clothes, pink appliances and thinks junk food should be a recognized food group. In the summer, she can be found sitting by the lake, enjoying the view from her dock. ~ Fantastic Fiction and Author's site Book Cover Blurbs ✤ BOOK ONE—Shaedes of Gray (2011): "I'd learned the hard way that love is nothing more than the sharpest blade, and it can easily be turned against you. I refused to let anyone have that kind of power over me ever again." — ''Darian has lived alone for almost a century in the shadows of the night. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind—an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin. Darian finds herself struggling to keep her employer, Tyler, at arm's length, especially since his seductive smile makes her want to break her rules about love. The work he offers is necessary to protect the innocent—and a welcome distraction. But when Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she has taken on more than her conscience will allow, but a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished. ~ Goodreads ✤ In the shadows of the night, Darian has lived alone for almost a century. Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind-an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing. With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin. When Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question. Darian begins to wonder if she's taken on more than her conscience will allow. But a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished… Genre: Paranormal Romance ~ Shaedes of Gray ~ FF ✤ '''BOOK TWO—Blood Before Sunrise (2012)': ""She needed a bargaining chip and this was it. Raif's daughter's life for hers. And he knew damn good and well I was right. Just like he'd assured me the night I'd killed Azriel, this was far from over. His daughter was alive. I knew it. And I was going to find her." For months, Darian and her Shaede guardian, Raif, have searched for the Oracle who attempted to overthrow the Shaede Nation—and kill Darian in the bargain. But now that they've finally found the half-crazed Oracle, they are granted a possibility too painful for Raif to imagine and too enticing for Darian to ignore. Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead, but her mission quickly proves dangerous when her lover, Tyler, is almost killed. And when a brooding and mysterious Fae warrior offers his guidance—at an extraordinary price—Darian finds herself willing to risk everything. As her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession, and she and Tyler grow further apart, Darian finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother and the man whose love she can't live without.... ~ Goodreads | Blood Before Sunrise (Shaede Assassin, #2) by Amanda Bonilla ✤ BOOK THREE—Crave the Darkness (2013): Nothing comes easy for Darian. Her heightened powers make her indispensable to the Shaede Nation, but dangerous missions have driven her lover, Tyler, to his breaking point. Darian must salvage their bond, but a new assignment to protect Anya—a fellow Shaede and the first of their kind to become pregnant in centuries—stands in their way. It doesn’t help that the two Shaedes are longtime rivals and share nothing besides mutual hatred. But when it becomes clear that someone—or something—is bent on destroying the expectant mother and her unborn child, Darian must put her feelings aside and track down Anya’s would-be assassin. As she probes into Anya’s past, Darian digs up long-buried secrets—and a connection between Tyler and the mission that could destroy everything between them… ~ Goodreads | Crave the Darkness (Shaede Assassin, #3) by Amanda Bonilla ✤ BOOK FOUR—Against the Dawn (May 20, 2014): Six months can feel like just a couple of weeks when you’ve been away in another realm. Literally. Now that Darian is back in Seattle, she’s ready to face the life—and the man—she left behind. But it’s not going to be easy when a ghost from her past shows up looking to wreak havoc on Seattle’s supernatural crime scene. Darian isn’t as careless as she used to be, though. She and Tyler, her sexy Jinn protector, have come a long way in the trust department. And it’s a good thing too—because when Ty contracts her to assassinate a wickedly powerful supernatural who goes by the name of Mithras, it will take all her faith in Ty, and herself, to get the job done. While Darian does whatever it takes to get to her mark, Xander, the Shaede King is busy making plans of his own. With Darian’s attention divided between Lorik’s secrets and her mission she might not be able to stop Xander from doing anything in his power to separate Darian from her sworn protector and in the process, destroy his own kingdom… ~ Goodreads | Against the Dawn (Shaede Assassin, #4) by Amanda Bonilla Category:Series